Saturday, October 31, 2009

Happy Halloween! Hope you dressed as your favorite Star Wars character!If you have one of these, congratulations!If you have one unopened in the box, in pristine condition, congratulations – you can now buy a small used car with it!As I’ve said before on this blog, anything in the POTF line was naturally rarer, since the line was petering out at that point.A larger vehicle from this line is definitely rarer, and the Tatooine Skiff (not to be confused with the mini Desert Sail Skiff or the even smaller Sand Skimmer) is arguably the rarest vehicle in the original Kenner line.

This thing has everything you could want from the movie.It’s got the steering “wheel.”Movable steering vanes.Retractable landing gear.Levers you can move.And, of course, the gangplank to send the prisoners into the Sarlacc!There are also some cupholders.Okay, maybe they aren’t cupholders, but those six little holes in the middle look like it damnit!

Why should you get this vehicle?Five reasons:

1. What looks cooler in a sandbox: this or a Tonka truck?You be the judge.

The Bantha-II cargo skiff repulsorcraft was built by Ubrikkian Industries as a standard cargo transporter (up to 100 tons), but could be adapted to carry passengers as well.It had the ability to hover up to 50 meters off the ground, and travel up to 250 km/hr.They were very cheap and affordable to even the most backward planets.

Friday, October 30, 2009

While other figure packs were made, they were department store exclusives and featured figures already sold separately.The Sy Snootles set was the only figure set from the original line where all the figures were only available through the set.The set is also interesting, since this band got made into figures, but the Cantina Band from the first movie was never made into figures in the original line.

The set included Sy Snootles with a microphone (no two turntables), Droopy McCool with chidinkalu flute and microphone, and Max Rebo with a piano-like nalargon.Kenner would later do another 3-figure set in their G.I. Joe line, the characters from Cobra-La.

Why should you own this set?Five reasons:

1. Three figures!Get a whole band at once!

2. You can make them sing “Lapti Nek” as much as you want – screw the “Special Editions” that cut that out!

3. Does Sy…I think she does…does she have naked breasts?

4. The icons of a generation of aspiring musicians.

5. What?A blue elephant playing a round piano?Am I high or...oh, it's actually a figure.

Backstory:

Max Rebo (real name Siiruulian Phantele) [an Ortolan from Orto], Sy Snootles[a Pa’Lowick from Lowick], and Droopy McCool (real name Snit) [a Kitonak from Kirdo III] were the only three members of the band in the original trilogy.In the “Special Edition” there were at least three more members – but we are only talking about the original, vintage line here.They had a fourth member, but when invited to play at the Mos Eisley Cantina (Chalmun’s bar), Figrin D’an (a cantina band member) tried to have them killed. The unseen fourth member was the only one who died.

Sy Snootles let max Rebo act as leader of the band, while secretly controlling their actions.However, while auditioning for Jabba, she was unable to stop him from accepting his form of payment – all the food they could eat.They narrowly escaped death, jumping off of Jabba’s exploding barge.Rebo eventually wound up playing for Rebel troops and opening a successful chain of restaurants.Droopy wandered off into the desert, despondent at not having others of his kind around.Sy got addicted to spice and never enjoyed a very prosperous solo career.

Thursday, October 29, 2009

Just in time for Halloween: the stormtrooper! Helmeted; white; menacing...unless you're a furry creature about a meter tall.

The stormtrooper figure is one of the original twelve figures, and the ultimate army builder. If you are not a hard-core collector, the term "army builder" means figures that there are many, many of in that universe. So, while there may only be one Han in the Star Wars universe, there are a million stormtroopers (actually, it's estimated that Luke killed about one million Imperials when he blew up the first death star, making him the biggest killer in the movies). In the first movie alone there were lord-knows-how-many stormtroopers shot just by Luke and the gang while trying to get out of the death star.

The stormtrooper had the traditional blaster, which was subsequently copied for many of the other figures in the Star Wars wave. His head couldn't turn, but in subsequent versions (1990's+) it did. This figure came on all four cards: SW, ESB, ROTJ, POTF. The figure itself is very close to the actual stormtrooper detailing.

Why should you own this figure? Five reasons:

1. As mentioned before, army builder, army builder, army builder. You shouldn't own one, you should own 10. Check Ebay, there are probably people selling 10-20 of these at a time.

2. They fall like dominoes in the movies - so get a bunch and have your own stormtrooper domino rally.

3. The most prevalent figure in the original Star Wars universe. You're going to get a lot of crap from your friends if you don't get this one.

4. Like I've mentioned in many a post, helmeted figures are automatically cool. Having one that looks like a skull-head is even cooler.

5. Recreate your own exciting version of the conversation near the death star's tractor beam: "Must be another drill." Oh, the drama!

Backstory:

Stormtroopers grew out of the surviving clone troopers that served in the Clone Wars. By the time of the first movie, about 1/3 of stormtroopers were from Jango Fett's original DNA, the rest were from other DNA sources and humans recruited in the traditional manner.

A stormtroopers armor was made of a plastoid composite fitted over a black body glove. This gave some protection from blaster shots (obviously not a lot given the movies' body count) and protection against most climates. In fact there was a limited air supply built in and troopers could survive in the vacuum of space for short periods. The E-11 blaster rifle was standard issue for most troopers (the one that came with the figure).

When not in the white armor, stormtroopers wore a black dress uniform, seen mainly in the first movie aboard the death star. About the only variation that stormtroopers had were the shoulder pauldrons to show rank (see the stormtroopers on Tatooine in the first movie), otherwise the Empire wanted a across-the-board uniform appearance.

The stormtroopers were a feared force...until Endor. After their defeat by a handful of Rebels and primitive natives, two things changed. One, the stormtroopers were no longer seen as such an imposing force, and two, stormtroopers finally got some camouflaged armor - white was a glaringly obvious target.

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Now, even being a minor character - in the film, very minor - you have to admit that the action figure for Squid Head is actually pretty well done. The head, the bulky hands, the figure-trimming metal corset (or whatever the heck that thing is).

Squid Head comes with a blaster pistol that is grey, but is the same mold as used for the Lando and Bespin Guard figures. Squidee (as his friends call him) was only released on a ROTJ card, but was one of the first ROTJ figs released. Squid Head had some nice cloth robes, and the metal "corset" could be removed.

Why should you own this figure? Five reasons:

1. As therapy reference for those things that used to abduct you at night.

2. The best representation of a squid in head form...ever.

3. Again, as said many times before, your Jabba diorama is not complete without this figure. At least until your girlfriend makes you take it down.

4. C'mon - the name? So ridiculous you have to get him.

5. The patron figure of accountants (see below) and Cthulu fans.

Backstory:

Squid Head is a Quarren called Tessek. Quarrens actually originate from the same planet as Calamarians (Admiral Ackbar), Mon Calamari. Tessek had to flee his homeworld after an Imperial invasion. He ended up as an accountant for Jabba, and, like many of his acquaintances, planned the Hutt's death. He didn't get the chance to kill Jabba, but he did manage to escape the sand barge just in time.

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Nothing underscores Kenner’s naivete about “nothing sells an item like including a figure with it” more than the Speeder Bike.In the original line no figure was included with anything – they were all sold separately” AT-AT Drivers, TIE Pilots, A-Wing & B-Wing Pilots, and, of course, Biker Scouts.This was the smallest vehicle which had a specific “driver” for it, yet it still didn’t come with one in the same package.Oh, well, Kenner obviously learned their lessons from Star Wars and made up for it with G.I. Joe.Heck, every other vehicle in that line came with a figure.

The toy came in ROTJ box, and featured a “blow apart” feature.It also nicely balanced on its two “legs” when at rest, despite the fact that most of the vehicle seemed to be in front.The toy was pretty accurate to the actual vehicle, except for the addition of a T-bar to hold figures in the seat.When the Bike was re-released in the 90’s, the figures (Luke, Leia, Scout) that came with one all had bendable knees and hips.

Why should you get this vehicle?Five reasons:

1. Flying through the air at breakneck speeds and narrowly missing stuff?What kid wouldn’t want that?

2. Make alternate history: that Ewok steals the Bike and gets blown up.

3. A cheap vehicle and lots of them were featured in the movie?You have to at least get a couple dude.

4. Like many Star Wars vehicles, if you got it, you held out hope that your parents would get the actual pilot for it.

5. Easy to hold, so a vehicle with immense play value.What?I’m serious sometimes.

Backstory:

The Speeder Bikes featured in the movie were 74-Z’s, the military version of the 74-Y (of course!).Steering was controlled through the handlebars, and acceleration was controlled on the foot pedals.They had sensor and communication devices, as well as one for jamming commlinks.It also had a front-mounted rotating blaster cannon.They are built by Aratech Repulsor Company and have been around since the Clone Wars.They can reach speeds up to 500 kph, and heights up to 25 m.

Monday, October 26, 2009

Okay, so technically I already posted this with the original Landspeeder (or, as on this box, "Land Speeder"), but it is a different name, so I am posting it here.

One of the first vehicles released in the original line, the Land Speeder represented the finest in Tatooine luxury and comfort. In other words, it was the used car you gave to your son or daughter learning to drive - a beater. Not like your dad's car with the Bantha-hide seats.

The toy was actually a bit more luxurious than the movie vehicle, because most of the vehicles in the movie were supposed to be from Lucas' "used" universe. It wasn't until manufacturing processes caught up in the 1990's that the vehicles got a more weathered look. The 90's version of the Landspeeder even had wrecked engine plating like the movie.

If you're a child of the 80's you may remember this kind of "remote" control for sonic toys. Basically, the vehicle "heard" the audible click of the remote, there was no actual signal. When it heard the click it would make a J-turn in reverse. I had another toy like this from the Starriors line (Deadeye and Cricket - but I don't expect anyone but me to remember that). The only other differences from the original toy was that the engine cover didn't open, there were pegs behind the seats for figures to stand, and it was slightly larger. The Sonic version was only available through J.C. Penney, back when they used to be a big cheese in retail.

The landspeeder was released again in 1983 with a "classic" label on the box, distinguishing it from the 1978 release.

Why should you own this vehicle? Five reasons:

1. As Billy Dee would say, the wheels gave a smooth ride, like a Colt 45 Malt Liquor.

2. This was the one vehicle you didn't mind your younger sibling playing with. It was fun to watch them try to recreate the picture on the box only to figure out that there was no way R2-D2 and C-3PO actually stayed on.

3. It was like a Hot Wheels, it glided across the floor pretty well and didn't need you holding it up in the air the whole time.

4. No other vehicle felt as enjoyable while mowing down Jawas and Sand People.

5. Kenner tricked you into thinking it was a four-figure vehicle, when the only way the droids were staying on is if you didn't move it and no heavy trucks passed by your house.

Backstory:

Luke's landspeeder was an X-34 built by the Sorusuub Corporation (a popular manufacturer in the galaxy). Its popularity waned once Sorusuub came out with the XP-38 landspeeder, which looked similar except for more rectangular engines (never shown in the movies), much like the engines on the V-35 Courier landspeeder, shown in the Lars garage.

Landspeeders work using repulsorlifts that support it whether in motion or not. Turbine engines give it forward momentum. Sources say that the X-34 had a top speed of 250 kph, or 155 mph. The cockpit could be closed, but obviously Luke liked the wind whipping through his blond, feathered hair and sand in his eyes.

Sunday, October 25, 2009

Snaggletooth is yet another Cantina denizen, and yet another Star Wars alien to have the same gun as Greedo (and many others from the first movie). Snaggletooth was a bit of an odd figure, because Kenner, at first, referenced a vague black and white photograph of this alien. What they came up with was the taller, blue Snaggletooth, pictured above. While the blue mistake was still produced in the original line, it only came with the Sears-exclusive Cantina Adventure Set, a cheap cardboard-only playset that included Greedo, blue Snaggletooth, Walrusman, and Hammerhead.

Snaggletooth, for me, was one of those figures with limited play value (unless you count drinking), plus he was short. That always ticked me off with short figures. If, like me, you also got into the 1980’s G.I. Joes, you know that if a figure this short came out in that line they would at least include some elaborate laser-bazooka-tripod-backpack to make up for it. Nope, Snaggletooth just had a gun.

Snaggletooth was available on SW, ESB, and ROTJ cards.

Why should you own him anyway? Five reasons:

1. Get Snaggle and the rest of the shorties to sing the Lollipop Guild song from the “Wizard of Oz.”

2. Your mom didn’t realize she was buying you a figure whose big scene was begging for booze at the Cantina.

3. In the Cantina brawl you set up on your playset, Snaggletooth is able to crawl through everyone’s legs, just like in all those corny movies.

4. The stylish red jumpsuit.

5. Arguably the ugliest face of any figure in the original line.

Backstory:

Snaggletooth, like many alien names in the first trilogy, was more of a nickname given by the film crew to keep the aliens straight. Later on, all of their stories were fleshed out. Snaggly is a Snivvian by the name of Zutton.

Zutton worked as an artist, and as a bounty hunter. He helped support his brother Takeel (briefly seen in the movie) and occasionally worked for Jabba.

Saturday, October 24, 2009

The most curious thing about Slave I is the fact that "I" is in it. I mean, do people refer to their spouse as wife 1 or husband 1 right after they get married? No - they at least wait until they get married again before that happens. However, there is no explanation as to why we get Slave "I" long before there's a successor.

Being the only bounty hunter ship in the toy line, Slave I piques our curiousity. That' and its unique design. The ship lands on its "back" and rotates 90 degrees for flight. The seat also rotates, and the guns as well. It came with a Han Solo in carbonite prop, and has a removable panel and ramp/hatch. the outer rudders automatically level out with the horizon, and a lever on the outside allows you to rotate the inner seat with a figure in it. In the original line it only came in an ESB box. In the 1990's+ line it has already come in Power of the Force, Shadows of the Empire, and other boxes to go with its appearance in Episode II.

2. The unique design - the only other ship that comes close (with its rotating cockpit) is the B-Wing.

3. Boba Fett's ship - also automatically cool.

4. One of the coolest ships to fly during play - it actually has a handle built into it.

5. "Technically" comes with a figure - Han in carbonite.

Backstory:

Slave I was a modified Firespray-31 class patrol for a asteroid prison police force, but was stolen by Jango fett shortly before the events in Episode II. He heavily modified it, including the rotating cockpit and weapons systems. After jango's death, it was adopted, then lost, then reacquired by Boba Fett, who also continued modifying, including, apparently, the paint job. It was "mostly" destroyed in the events of the graphic novel Dark Empire II. After hsi escpae from the Sarlacc pit, Boba used another ship, Slave II, until he recovered Slave I. He eventually had a Slave III and IV, but found and fixed Slave I again.

Friday, October 23, 2009

Sise is a rather lackluster figure. He has no accessories other than a purple cloth cape (and the standard Droids "gold" coin). He is an old character, so he's not even that physically active in the cartoon. One also has to wonder what the penchant for purple in this line of figures was.

Why should you get this figure? Five reasons:

1. Again: only twelve in the line – might as well get them all.

2. Reminds you of the toad you had as a kid.

3. The only crime boss Star Wars figure you’ll ever be able to own. Except for Jabba. Oh, and that Xizor guy. Oh, and another figure they made from the novels. And later probably someone else.

4. Purple cape! Can anyone say gay pride parade?

5. A good fill-in until you get that Ed Asner figure for your Mary Tyler Moore collection.

Backstory:

Sise Fromm was an annoo-dat (or ret) from the planet Annoo (previously Gelefil). He was also the head of one of the larger crime organizations in the galaxy. He had a son (Tig) who he hoped would take over, but was a klutz. At one point (during the Droids series) his organization constructed an immense weapons satellite (Trigon I) that would have helped him dominate all other gangs. Through a series actions by the droids and their friends, the weapon was destroyed, Boba Fett turned on Sise (his employer), and Sise and his son were jailed and executed.

Thursday, October 22, 2009

Next in order is a vehicle from the Star Wars Droids line, since, technically, this is a Star Wars vehicle - to the same scale - and it came out in the 1980's.

For some reason the Side Gunner wasn't given a more creative name like "L-Wing" or "SUX-456," it was simply called Side Gunner. I'm not sure if Kenner ran out of ideas by this time or what, but the vehicle was featured in the animated early adventures of R2 and 3PO called Droids: the Adventures of R2-D2 and C-3PO.

This vehicle is featured during a chase sequence in one of the episodes, which also featured an A-Wing (before they were supposed to be built). However, it is a nice toy. How nice?

Five reasons nice:

1. It is a two seater, so you can put a pilot in the cockpit and a gunner in the side car - extra play value!

2. There is a lever opposite the gunner side car that lets you rotate the side car around 360 degrees, or move it back and forth. This was actually a very cool feature.

3. It has guns, plenty of frickin' guns. In fact, they are in the name - Gunner. Did you get that?

4. As long as it was featured in the Star Wars universe, you can put whoever in the hell you want figures in there. Don't limit yourself to those pansy-ass Droids figures!

5. While the figures for this line got more cartoonish, somehow the vehicles got more detailed - you can see that here.

Backstory:

Not much of a backstory. Very little is actually written about this vehicle, other than it was featured in an episode of Droids. It seems to have cool features, but one wonders if it wasn't meant for some Power of the Force line originally. It has no photos on the box of Droids figures with it, only a Death Star Gunner figure for some odd reason. Maybe someone just saw the word "gunner" and equated the two.

I guess my fondness for this vehicle comes from its mystery. It seem like a neat vehicle, it's just that there's no history. Had it come earlier in the line it would have been something I would have played with constantly, but I actually got it from a friend later when I was more, ahem, "adult."

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

So Empire Strikes Back comes along and we all give a collective “Holy Sarspirilla!” when we see that Kenner managed to actually make a variation of C-3PO.R2 was a natural – he’s always got a new appendage popping out (don’t go there) and a third leg (I said, don’t go there), but C-3PO had jack.Blow him apart though, and you’ve got a new figure!

C-3PO with removable limbs came with a backpack to put his busted ass in, presumably to be carried by your Chewbacca figure.Once the removable limb feature came out, this was the only C-3PO produced, coming out on an ESB, ROTJ, and POTF card.

Why should you own this figure?Five reasons:

1.Packpack?Awesome!Plus it looks like a fishnet stocking!

2.I’ve been wanting to pull the limbs off that smug C-3PO for so long…

3.The head doesn’t come off?Son-of-a, well, I still get to pull the arms off.

4.The only thing that you can accessorize with your Chewbacca.

5.It wouldn’t be an 80’s childhood without some missing action figure limbs later.

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

The Droids version of C-3PO does not come with any accessories (only the break-apart C-3PO did – a bag!), and is molded in yellow and brown instead of the golden color the original line figure had. He also has a blue neck and midriff, all in keeping with the colors of the cartoon version. His eyes are also now white with blue irises, a little creepy considering he is a robot.

Why should you get this figure? Five reasons:

1. Darn it, you just love yellow!

2. Again, only twelve figures in the line, you can get them all.

3. Again, another chance to get a knock-off looking C-3PO, without actually getting a knock-off.

4. Your last chance for a decade to get a Star Wars character from the movies.

5. Your mom thought you’d like it. “Ah, Mom!”

Backstory:

Everyone now knows that R2 and C-3PO were taken by Bail Organa at the end of Revenge of the Sith, and the Droids series takes place between that time and A New Hope. Supposedly the droids get accidentally jettisoned during a ship drill, and go through a series of masters before ending back up with Bail.

Monday, October 19, 2009

Another case! As if Darth Vader could not be topped, here comes C-3PO! Wait, what? No R2-D2? No case-shaped-like-an-iconic-vehicle? Heck no - take this one as shut up! When the line restarted in the 90's, this case was reissued in a more sparklier gold luster, and had sound effects. They also started making the R2 and Millennium Falcon figure cases (which both came with bonus figures!).

Why should you own this case? Five reasons:

1. As far as collector cases in the shape of C-3PO's torso go, this one is the best.

Sunday, October 18, 2009

Ah, C-3PO, you shiny-plated pain in the ass. C-3PO is one of the original 12, and he came on a SW back card and an ESB card. Despite being a central figure, he was never released on a ROTJ or POTF card because by that time C-3PO with removable limbs took over. I'm going off the official cards here, which is why C-3PO is in the "S's" and not in the "C's."

It's hard to be enthusiastic about someone whose main "power" is translating. Sure, he's shiny, but no weapons, no commlink, no nothing. He's more of the Jar Jar Binks of the original trilogy, except he's actually useful (and less annoying).

Why should you own this figure? Five reasons:

1. How else is everyone going to figure out what the hell R2 is talking about?

2. Shiny...so shiny.

3. Decently detailed figure - even has a restraining bolt on his chest.

4. C-3PO can be used as the fall guy for everything. Oops, ran over C-3PO with my landspeeder. Oops, C-3PO just got blown out the airlock on the Falcon. Oops, C-3PO just ended up in my dog's water dish.

5. Makes a good reflector for spotter planes when your on a life raft.

Backstory:

The movies pretty much show all this. C-3PO is built by Anakin, kind of stolen from the Lars homestead, resides on Coruscant until Anakin goes bad, given to Bail Organa (adoptive father of Leia) and his memory wiped. Then he goes through all that stuff in SW, gets dismantled and put back together in ESB, and talks a bunch of teddy bears into assaulting a much more technologically advanced foe in ROTJ. In the novels he pretty much follows Han and Leia around, translating and providing Han with someone to yell at.

Interesting movie note is that although Anthony Daniels wore the costume and provided the voice for Threepio, Lucas was going to replace his voice with more of a Bronx used car salesman. he hated Daniels' voice. However, they ran out of money on the first movie and stuck with Daniels.

Saturday, October 17, 2009

With the Sand Skimmer and Imperial Sniper, this was one of the three even-more-mini-than-mini-rigs (also known as “body rigs”) made for the POTF line. Sold on blister card in the U.S., overseas they came in boxes.The boxes probably held up better, because all the plastic on the blister cards nowadays seems to be yellowing.

A combination of a jet pack and portable coat rack, the Security Scout featured shin-mounted blasters, a steering joystick, and a rear rudder.It also has what looks like giant headphones for whatever figure is standing in it.

Why should you get this vehicle?Five reasons:

1. So you may one day build a life size replica and realize, “There is no way in hell I’m getting in this thing.”

The Security Scout was another concept toy by Kenner – approved by Lucasfilm, but never appearing in any canon work.It is hard to see anyone actually wanting to fly one either because of the lack of protection and the sheer openness of the flight style.Heck, even if you were strapped into it on the ground, a gust of wind might topple it onto you.You could, anecdotally, say it was used on Endor after the battle in ROTJ.Maybe.

Friday, October 16, 2009

The Scout Walker is analogous to some of the Star Wars action figures: when it was first released it had only scant seconds of actual screen time. Rumor has it that more Scout Walker scenes were shot/planned for ESB, but decisions were made to show more of the menacing AT-ATs. What was also weird was that the Scout Walker came out in both ESB and ROTJ boxes, but the name on the box never changed from “Scout Walker Vehicle.” Yet, there was an action figure specifically name “AT-ST Driver” from the ROTJ releases. Odd.

The Scout Walker came in and ESB box (showing a Hoth set-up) and an ROTJ box (showing an Endor set-up). Like many of the toy vehicles, it was slightly scaled down from the movie, so it only held one figure rather than two. However, it still had a rotating head and side head guns, and tilting chin guns. There was also a cool button on the back to make it “walk.” This feature also had a switch to put it in just standing mode. It also featured a top-opening cockpit and round hatch.

Why should you own this vehicle? Five reasons:

1. That funky leg-pumping action with the button.

2. It was a smaller, more moderately priced vehicle if you couldn’t get the AT-AT. Which I’m sure many a kid’s parent opted for.

3. Recreate that cringe-worthy scene where Chewbacca lets loose with a Tarzan yell and mounts the beast, I mean, Scout Walker.

4. Set up your own Scout Walker destruction line using logs, rocks, and other things you can find in the yard.

5. I gotta mention the funky leg-pumping action again. That was just cool/weird.

Backstory:

A precursor to the AT-ST (All Terrain Scout Transport)(also called “chicken walkers” by Rebels) was seen as early as Revenge of the Sith, being used by clone troopers. By the original trilogy it was manufactured by several different companies.

In ESB it was used as cover for the AT-ATs, since AT-ATs were actually poor at covering things attacking their own legs. They were used by the Empire on Endor because the dense forest demanded a smaller vehicle than the AT-AT. However, the bipedal propulsion of the AT-ST was its undoing when a scrappy bunch of Ewoks took a lot of them out using logs, and rocks. Heck, there was even a scene from ROTJ showing yet another way they destroyed and AT-ST that was cut from the theatrical release.

The AT-ST crew consisted of a pilot and a gunner. For armament it had grenade launcher on one side of the head, a blaster cannon on the other, and chin-mounted double medium lasers.

After the Battle of Endor, AT-STs still remained in use, but never gained the significance they once did.

Thursday, October 15, 2009

The Sand Skimmer can be considered like the third generation desert skiff.It sure as heck isn’t the Tatooine Skiff, and it’s still smaller than the Desert Sail Skiff.It’s not quite a mini-rig, it's a "body rig," like two other vehicles (Imperial Sniper and Security Scout) also produced in the POTF line.

The Skimmer came on a bubble card, like the aforementioned vehicles, and is a one-figure vehicle.They were released overseas in boxes with the actual toy photos, not paintings.The sand skimmer has an adjustable rudder sail, and a swiveling front blaster array.Not to mention the kick-ass steering column!

Why should you get this vehicle?Five reasons:

1. When you’re just too cheap for a mini-rig.

2. You like your vehicles carded, not boxed.

3. You just need that one, last sand vehicle to get you over the top.

4. Your other real sand skiffs are full.

5. You need a pocket vehicle.

Backstory:

Like many of the mini-rigs and these “mini vehicles,” Kenner made the Sand Skimmer up to provide a cheaper vehicle for those who couldn’t afford the big ones.A skimmer is a kind of repulsorcraft and a different class than speeders. It has appeared in at least two episodes of "Droids."

Want more? Too bad! It doesn't have a Wookieepedia entry - this is it.

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

This figure represents a case of blatant false advertising, since it says “Sand People” and there is clearly only one Sand Person in the package. I’m still waiting for my lawsuit to make it through the courts.

A Sand Person came with a gaffi stick as an accessory (you know, where he stood over Luke and shook it in the air), and a vinyl cape already on. A known variations of the figure are hollow and solid face tubes right below the eyes. The Sand People figure was one of the original twelve, the first wave, and came on SW, ESB, and ROTJ cards. Its name was changed by the ROTJ card to read “Tusken Raider (Sand People).”

As a kid, this was always my WTF character, as in WTF was it? Yes, I knew it was a Sand Person, but it was kind of scary looking and I just didn’t like it. If there was ever a character that gave me the creeps (as much as the Star Wars movies did) it was the Sand Person. I don’t know what it was, but it might have been because the 18-minute Super 8 version we had of the first movie featured it prominently. Who knows?

Why should you own this figure? Five reasons:

1. Give that whiny Luke figure the beat-down he deserves.

2. Have it ride a Bantha, oh wait, that’s right. They never made one for the original line. But they made a frickin’ dewback!

Sand People were an offshoot of a people indigenous to Tatooine for millennia. When a global disaster struck the planet, this civilization eventually evolved into Sand People and Jawas. Much later in their history, after a series of raids which forced out the colonists in the town of Fort Tusken, the Sand People became known as Tusken Raiders.

Unlike the Jawas, Sand People disregarded most technology. For attack and defense they used gaffi sticks, or gaderffii. They do occasionally gather enough metal scrap to make rifles, however. These can be seen in SW and Episode I. Sand People stay covered from head to toe to keep in moisture and protect them from the harsh desert climate. They roam in small tribes, and domesticate native banthas for transportation. Like the Jawas, they subsist mainly on native hubba gourds for nutrition and hydration.

About the only things that Sand People truly fear are krayt dragons, a large carnivore indigenous to Tatooine. In fact, the howl that Obi-wan makes in the first movie to scare the Sand People was a krayt dragon roar. The skeleton that C-3PO passes in the desert was that of a krayt dragon (the prop of which was left there and is still there today).

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Romba is the vacuum droid that is marketed to households. Oh, wait, I'm thinking of something else.

Romba was one of the “last seventeen” figures – the POTF line. He only came on a POTF card, and despite having this honor, at least he wasn’t already produced on another card. Romba came with a spear, although he is also shown using a bow and arrow in the movie. Again, I am always disappointed by short figures who don’t come with more accessories because I feel cheated. Cheated! Ah, well. It's also baffling that Kenner chose to make yet another Ewok in their POTF line, rather than something cooler - like they did with Amanaman.

Romba is another Ewok, but I guess if you have all the Ewok vehicles and accessories you need all the Ewoks just to man them all.

Why should you get this figure? Five reasons:

1. Oh, why should we get anything?

2. Like stated above, there was so much Ewok crap, you need all the Ewok figures just to have

one on everything.

3. He came with a coin. That’s something, isn’t it?

4. Some good old fashioned Ewok stormtrooper bashing.

5. No one else in the village makes an Imperial helmet drum like Romba.

Backstory:

Romba was one of the first to find C-3PO, and might have recognized him from the Droids/Ewoks cartoon crossover, which would have occurred before this point and is mostly taken as canon in the Star Wars universe. He also helped construct some AT-ST traps, man a catapault, and fire bows and arrows and Imperials. His notable scene was where he and a friend were hit by a blast, and he mourned his fallen comrade onscreen.

Monday, October 12, 2009

Hey, he’s got three eyes.Oh, wait, Ree-Yees, wow, what a remarkable coincidence of a name!Next, you’ll be telling me they worked in some reference to his goat-like appearance.His race is Gran?Like granny goat?Wow.

So, now that my fun is over, let’s actually look at the figure.Ree-Yees came with a blaster rifle that is referenced nowhere else, so it may be one that Kenner just made up.His head and suit are fairly accurate to the figure, of course, after the first movie’s weird and very clothing-inaccurate figures this was more common.He only came on an ROTJ card.

Ree-Yees (a Gran with deformed hands) was wanted for murder on his home planet kinyen, so he hid out at Jabba’s court, taking care of Jabba’s pet, Bubo.Jabba distrusted him, so he planted a bomb on Ree-Yees that could be activated with a phrase.Jabba was right to not trust him, since he was planning to kill Jabba on the sand barge.This never came to fruition, however, since Luke and the gang blew it up, along with Ree-Yees.Jabba was also strangled by Leia before he could activate Ree-Yee’s implanted bomb.

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Simple - we put up an action figure a day. If you subscribe to us, a vintage Star Wars action figure / vehicle goes to your RSS reader daily. How much more nostalgia could you want? Remember to click on the pictures to see them up-close and full-size!